Joint support



March 1966 A. F. CRONE 3,242,831

JOINT SUPPORT Filed Nov. 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATT OFN E Y5.

A. F. CRONE JOINT SUPPORT March 29, 1966 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Nov. 1 1963 INVENTOR. kW Y M ATTOFNEYS.

United States, Patent 0,

3,242,831 JOINT SUPPORT Alfred F. Crone, Williamsville, N.Y., assignor to Acme Highway Products Corporation, Bufialo, N.Y.

Filed Nov. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 320,745 4 Claims. (Cl. 94-8) This invention relates to joint supports for use in pavements for connecting adjacent sections or lanes of pavement to resist vertical movement of the adjacent sections relatively to each other.

Pavements of highways, airfields and the like are laid in sections or strips separated from each other by joints which permit movement of one section relatively to another, and joint supports as heretofore provided act as dowels to permit limited horizontal movement of adjacent sections toward and from each other in the direction of the length of the dowels, but to prevent relative vertical movement of the pavement sections. However, pavement sections sometimes move relatively to each other in a substantially horizontal direction crosswise of such joint supports or dowels, in which case damage to the pavement may result.

For example, in many instances where two parallel strips or lanes of a pavement are arranged side by side, particularly when they are laid at different times, there are differences in expansion and contraction of the two lanes, causing slight longitudinal movement of one lane relatively to the other, which may be due to various causes, and which results in bending or deforming of dowels or joint supports connecting the two lanes. This in turn causes breaks in the pavement.

It is consequently an object of this invention to provide joint supports constructed to permit slight longitudinal movement of the two lanes of the pavement relatively to each other and opposing the movement of the lanes laterally or vertically relatively to each other. 7

Another object is to provide joint supports having the parts thereof which extend into the two adjacent sections of pavement connected with each other to permit movement of the pavement sections transversely of the joint supports, but to oppose vertical movement of the sections relatively to each other.

Another object is to provide means for yieldingly holding the two parts of the joint supports in such relation to each other that when the adjacent sections of pavement are laid, the two parts of the joint supports will be capable of moving in either of two opposite directions horizontally. i

A further object is to provide joint supports which oppose vertical movement of two adjacent sections relatively to each other but which permit limited horizontal movement of the sections in any horizontal direction.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a part of a joint support embodying this invention applied. to a form shown in section, such as may be used in the construction of a highway or airport landing strips.

FIG. 2 is a similar section showing my improved joint support applied to a form of modified construction.

FIG. 3 is an elevation showing a part of my improved joint support embedded in a section of pavement and having an anchoring member applied thereto to be embedded in the adjacent pavement section, the paving material being shown in section.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation of a pavement and showing my improved joint support embedded in both sections of the pavement.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged elevation of my improved joint support as seen from line 5-5, FIG. 3, and showing a part of a pavement in which said joint support is embedded.

3,242,83l Patented .Mar. 29, 1966 "ice FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof on line 6-6, FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional plan view thereof on line 77, FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of parts of my joint support in positions to be assembled.

FIG. 9 is a part of a joint support of modified con struction.

In the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example certain embodiments of this invention, 15 and 16 represent two adjacent pavement sections of a highway or airfield. These two pavement sections are connected at intervals with joint supports embodying my invention which hold the two sections against vertical displacement relatively to each other. The joint supports each include two parts, oneof which is embedded in the first concrete section or lane 15. 17 represents a form such as commonly used. in highway construction against which the concrete or other paving material is poured, and the first part of the joint support is secured to this form so as to be embedded in the. pavement section 15.

The first part of my improved joint support includes a socket 20 having an anchoring member 21 secured thereto or formed integral therewith. For this purpose the socket 25) is provided with a rear wall 24 having a hub portion 25 preferably formed integral therewith and. which supports the anchoring member 21. This anchoring member may be formed integral with the hub portion 25, or may have a threaded connection with the hub portion. This socket also has upper and lower, horizontally extending walls 28 and 29 and an end wall 30 which are preferably formed integral with each other and with said rear wall. The upper and lower walls have flanges 31 and 32 extending toward each other, these flanges being formed integral with the end wall 30 and also with a C-shaped flange 33 formed integral with the back wall and the upper and lower walls 28 and 29 and the flanges 31 and 32 of the socket 20. This construction forms a partly enclosed groove or recess in the socket 20 to receive a corresponding member 35 of approximately T-shape in cross section and which constitutes portion of the other joint support part. This member 35 is formed to fit into the recess or groove formed'in the socket 20 and is insertable into the socket through the opening in the end of the socket which is defined by the flange 33. This member 35 is slidable horizontally in the socket portion and has an outwardly extending projection 36 which is formed to fit between the two flanges 31 and 32 which confine the member 35 in the socket. The member 35 is consequently of T-shaped. cross section. The projection 36 extends outwardly between the flanges 31 and 32 so that the outer face of this projection does not extend beyond the outer faces of the flanges 31 and 32.

This projection 36 is formed to receive the anchoring member of the second joint support part, and for this reason is provided with an aperture formed for engagement with an anchoring member 40 of the second joint support part, so that the complete joint support when fully assembled will be as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in which both anchoring members have locking devices 41 and 42 extending later-ally from the anchoring members for securely holding the anchoring members in the concrete sections.

The T-shaped slidable member 35 of the second part of the joint support also serves to hold the first part of the anchoring member in correct relation to the form 17, this being accomplished by providing a bolt 45 which passes through a hole in the form and into the threaded hole 37 of the T-shaped member 35 so that this part of the joint support will be drawn tightly against the form and held in correct relation thereto, as clearly shown in FIG. 1. Consequently, when the concrete or other paving maa terial is poured against the form 17, it will result in em bedding the socket 20 and the anchoring member 21 in the paving material of the section 15, as shown in FIG. 3. After this material has become set the bolt 45 is removed and also the form 17. The second anchoring member 40 is then secured into the threaded hole 37, as shown in FIG. 3, so that this anchoring member will be in position to be embedded in the section 16 of the pavement, as shown in FIG. 4.

Occasionally the forms are provided with longitudinal channels 47 shown in FIG. 2, to provide a groove in the pavement section 15 into which the paving material of the other paving section may then enter to form a tongue and groove connection to lock the two paving sections against vertical movement relatively to each other. When this type of form is provided a somewhat longer bolt 48 is provided to secure the socket 20 and its anchoring member 21 in correct relation to the pavement section 15.

With the construction described it is necessary to provide some means for holding the T-shaped slidable member 35 at approximately the center of its possible path of movement within the socket 20. In the construction shown for this purpose I have provided two pads i and 51 of yielding material which are preferably also of T-shape form, as is the member 35, being provided with outwardly extending parts 52 which extend between the flanges 31 and 32. These pads may be made of any of the well known resilient or compressible, porous or spongy compositions, such as the polyurethanes.

In assembling the units of the joint support thus far described, the pad 50 of the compressible material is first passed into the socket 20 through the open end thereof and is then followed by the T-shaped member 35, followed by the second pad 51, so that the member 35 of the second joint support part will be positioned between the two resilient compressible pads 50 and 51. The assembly of these three units may be confined in the socket in any suitable manner, for example, by means of a plate 60, preferably of metal, which is placed against the flange member 33 and secured thereto in any desired manner, for example, by means of welds 61, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Consequently, when assembled, the parts will occupy the positions shown in FIG. 5, in which the paving material for the pavement section 16 may be poured. The pads 50 and 51 ensure the position of the T-shaped member 35 approximately midway between the ends of the groove or recess in the socket 20. When the section 16 of the paving material is poured against the section 15, as shown in FIG. 4, then the extensions 52 of the pads as well as the projections 36 exclude paving material from the interior of the socket 20. Consequently if either of the pavement sections 15 or 16 moves horizontally relatively to the other, the T-shaped member 35 can move within the recess of the socket by compressing either of the sponge-like pads 50 or 51. It will be understood of course that if these sponge-like pads, after being compressed by the movement of the T-shaped member, do not return to their original dimensions, no harm results, since these pads merely serve to hold the T-shaped member in correct relation to the socket 20 during the assembly of the pavement. After the second section 16 of the pavement becomes hardened or set, the pads 50 and 51 serve no further purpose. It is important however that these pads hold the T-shaped member 35 in central position in the socket 20 to enable the T-shaped member to move in either direction in the socket member 20.

While I have shown the anchoring member 21 formed of a rod threaded at one end and having the other end bent over to form a locking end 41, it is of course also possible to form the anchoring member in one piece with the socket 20, as shown in FIG. 9, in which the socket member 65 has an anchoring member 66 formed integral therewith, and the anchoring member in this case is provided at its outer end with a locking device 67 formed integral therewith and extending transversely of the anchoring member 66 and laterally beyond the same.

It is also possible for some purposes to provide the anchoring members without locking devices 41 and 67, so that these anchoring members act as dowels in the paving material, thus permitting one pavement section to move relatively to the other horizontally, as permitted by the T-member 35 sliding in the socket 20, and also the pave ment may move horizontally in a direction lengthwise of the anchoring members because of a sliding connection between the anchoring members and the paving sections. Such construction may be very desirable in airfields where it is not necessary to hold the paving sections close to each other as it is in longitudinal highway joints Where any gap between adjacent paving strips is objectionable. This construction of anchoring members without locking devices is also useable when my improved joint supports are used as transverse joint supports.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for use in pavement construction to prevent relative vertical movements between abutting sections of the pavement but permitting limited horizontal movement between these sections, which comprises:

(a) one anchor member terminating at one end in a socket that has therein a recess with a slot opening into said socket from the exposed end face at said one end, said slot providing a restricted opening into said socket,

(b) a slide member which fits into said recess and is movable in said socket in a direction parallel to the length of said slot, and having a projection extending into and sliding in said slot and of a depth corresponding to the Width of said restricted opening to obtain close horizontally slidable relationship,

(0) a pad of yieldable material in said socket at each side of said member and having a projection extending into and fitted between the edges of said slot, one pad being arranged between one side of said member and one end of said socket and another pad being arranged between the other side of said member and the opposite end of said socket,

(d) means closing the opposite ends of said socket,

(e) the outer faces of said projections being approxi mately flush with the outer end of said socket, and

(f) another anchor member having one end formed for detachable coupling to the said projection on said slide member and forming a continuation of the said one anchor member when so applied thereto,

(g) whereby when said one anchor member is first embedded in one pavement section along a vertical edge face thereof that abuts another vertical edge face with the socket face exposed at that vertical edge face of the pavement section with the slot horizontal, and the other member is coupled to said slide member and then embedded in the other pavement section above the vertical face of said socket, the coupling between suchsections will prevent relative vertical movement of said abutting sections while permitting limited horizontal movement between them.

2. A device for use in pavement constructions to prevent relative vertical movements of adjacent sections while permitting limited relative horizontal movements between them, which comprises:

(a) one elongated anchor member having a socket at one end thereof provided with a horizontally extending recess and an elongated slot opening into said socket through the end face of this member,

(b) a slide member confined in said socket for sliding movement in the direction of length of the slot and having a shouldered projection that fits into and is guided slidingly by the edges of said slot to guide said slide member horizontally along said slot,

(0) another elongated anchor member detachably coupled at one end to said projection and extending in a direction opposite to said first mentioned elongated member,

(d) pads of yieldable material arranged in said socket at opposite sides of said slide member and having shouldered projections which fit into said slot and which together with said projection of said slide member fill said slot and said socket, said socket being open at one end through which said pads and slide member are inserted into said socket,

(e) whereby when said one member is first embedded on one of the abutting pavement sections with said projection exposed through a vertical edge wall face of said one of the sections, and with said slot substantially horizontal, and the other member is coupled to said projection and then embedded in the other of said abutting sections, the anchor members will prevent relative vertical movement of the sections and permit limited relative horizontal movements of the sections as said slide member moves along and is guided horizontally by said slot,

(f) and means for closing said open end of said socket.

3. The device according to claim 2 whereby said projection has a threaded recess in its exposed face and said another anchor member has threaded end to engage said threaded recess.

4. A joint support between two adjacent abutting sections of pavement to oppose relative vertical movement of said sections but permit relative horizontal movement between them comprising:

(a) two anchor parts embedded in said sections on opposite sides of and adjacent to the vertical edge walls of said sections,

(b) one of said parts terminating adjacent said edge walls and having in its said terminal end face a socket with a slot in that end face opening into said socket and horizontally elongated,

(c) a slide member confined in said socket for limited horizontal movement only and having a projection extending into and guided horizontally by said slot,

(d) the other end of said parts being approximately alined with said one of said parts and detachably coupled to said projection of said slide member, and

(e) means in said socket for yieldingly holding said slide member in a position intermediate of the ends of its possible horizontal movements in said socket, and also closing said slot to exclude entrance of paving material into said socket through said slot, said projection of said slide member having a threaded recess in its exposed end face, and said other of said anchoring part being threaded into said recess to detachably couple said parts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,127,973 8/1938 Isett 944 2,509,180 5/1950 Yeoman 948 2,588,609 3/ 1952 Blackhall 948 2,858,748 11/1958 Crone 948 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR USE IN PAVEMENT CONSTRUCTION TO PREVENT RELATIVE VERTICAL MOVEMENTS BETWEEN ABUTTING SECTIONS OF THE PAVEMENT BUT PERMITTING LIMITED HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN THESE SECTIONS, WHICH COMPRISES: (A) ONE ANCHOR MEMBER TERMINATING AT ONE END IN A SOCKET THAT HAS THEREIN A RECESS WITH A SLOT OPENING INTO SAID SOCKET FROM THE EXPOSED END FACE AT SAID ONE END, SAID SLOT PROVIDING A RESTRICTED OPENING INTO SAID SOCKET, (B) A SLIDE MEMBER WHICH FITS INTO SAID RECESS AND IS MOVABLE IN SAID SOCKET IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE LENGTH OF SAID SLOT, AND HAVING A PROJECTION EXTENDING INTO AND SLIDING IN SAID SLOT AND OF A DEPTH CORRESPONDING TO THE WIDTH OF SAID RESTRICTED OPENING TO OBTAIN CLOSE HORIZONTALLY SLIDABLE RELATIONSHIP, (C) A PAD OF YIELDABLE MATERIAL IN SAID SOCKET AT EACH SIDE OF SAID MEMBER AND HAVING A PROJECTION EXTENDING INTO AND FITTED BETWEEN THE EDGES OF SAID SLOT, ONE PAD BEING ARRANGED BETWEEN ONE SIDE OF SAID MEMBER AND ONE END OF SAID SOCKET AND ANOTHER PAD BEING ARRANGED BETWEEN THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID MEMBER AND THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID SOCKET, (D) MEANS CLOSING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID SOCKET, (E) THE OUTER FACES OF SAID PROJECTIOND BEING APPROXIMATELY FLUSH WITH THE OUTER END OF SAID SOCKET, AND (F) ANOTHER ANCHOR MEMBER HAVING ONE END FORMED FOR DETACHABLE COUPLING TO THE SAID PROJECTION ON SAID SLIDE MEMBER AND FORMING A CONTINUATION OF THE SAID ONE ANCHOR MEMBER WHEN SO APPLIED THERETO, (G) WHEREBY WHEN SAID ONE ANCHOR MEMBER IS FIRST EMBEDDED IN ONE PAVEMENT SECTION ALONG A VERTICAL EDGE FACE THEREOF THAT ABUTS ANOTHER VERTICAL EDGE FACE WITH THE SOCKET FACE EXPOSED AT THAT VERTICAL EDGE FACE OF THE PAVEMENT SECTION WITH THE SLOT HORIZONTAL, AND THE OTHER MEMBER IS COUPLED TO SAID SLIDE MEMBER AND THEN EMBEDDED IN THE OTHER PAVEMENT SECTION ABOVE THE VERTICAL FACE OF SAID SOCKET, THE COUPLING BETWEEN SUCH SECTIONS WILL PREVENT RELATIVE VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ABUTTING SECTIONS WHILE PERMITTING LIMITED HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN THEM. 